Dinesh Karthik reinvented himself at the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) but the best period of his IPL career came with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The T20 World Cup winner enjoyed his role as a finisher and hammered a total of 937 runs at a superb strike rate of 162.96 in his stint at RCB. However, he’ll not be playing IPL cricket anymore. He hung up his boots after IPL 2024, where he scored 326 runs at a blistering 187.36 strike rate. Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, RCB had an arduous task of finding a suitable replacement for Karthik. But now, Tim David has given some great news for the Bengaluru fans.
IPL 2025: Boost for RCB, Tim David fires heat in BBL!
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s ₹3 crore investment in Tim David at the IPL 2025 mega auction already looks like a masterstroke after the power-hitter played a match-winning knock for the Hobart Hurricanes. David smashed an unbeaten 62 off just 28 balls to guide the Hurricanes to a five-wicket win over the Adelaide Strikers, showing why he’s one of the most destructive finishers in T20 cricket despite recent struggles.
Coming in with the Hurricanes struggling at 101/4 in the 11th over, David launched a stunning counterattack. He tore into Henry Thornton with a quick 17-run over before completely dismantling Jamie Overton, hammering 26 runs off the 15th over, including three massive sixes and a boundary. His 22-ball half-century under pressure highlighted his ability to turn games single-handedly—a skill RCB will be counting on in the upcoming IPL season.
Back in form David so crucial for RCB
David’s six-hitting prowess was on full display as he finished with six towering maximums and three fours. With 11 needed off the last two overs, David sealed the win with a towering six off Brendan Doggett, reinforcing his reputation as a match-winner. RCB fans will be thrilled to see their latest recruit in red-hot form. If this knock is anything to go by, David could be the finisher RCB has been searching for to secure their maiden IPL title.
But prior to this, David didn’t carry a great form. He started his Big Bash season with a two-ball duck before making 33. Against the Sixers, he again failed, making a mere 4. He was a bit inconsistent in the Abu Dhabi T10 League as well and had a horror series (35 runs, 17.50 average) against Pakistan as well. Against England in September, David scored 0 & 1 too. Now, alongside the likes of Jitesh Sharma and Krunal Pandya, David would form a crucial finishing group. Virat Kohli, Phil Salt and Rajat Patidar can carry their job aggressively, knowing they have a solid backup remaining lower down the order.
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